Water motor



Mar. 6, 1923. m 1,117,925

G. R. CLARK WATER mowon Filed Aug, 5, 192].

W mum w INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

- Patented Mar. 8, 1923:.

GEORGE E. CLARK, OFDEIROI'I', MICHIGAN.

.. w en WATER MOTOR;

Applicationfiled August 3, 1921. Serial No. 489,509.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CLARK, citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of /Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a ater Motor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in a water motor and has for its primary object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and efficient water motor especially adapted for use in channels or rivers, streams and the like for utilizing economically themotion of the water under conditions adapting the power so derived. to be employed for pumping purposes. v

The invention has for another object the provision of a water motor of the character stated which may be formed in units suit ably coupled together so that the combined power derived from the operation of the various units maybe directed to'a single shaft, from which the power may be utilized for the purposeintended.

The invention has for another object the provision of a water. motor of the character stated in which will be included a cylindrical casing mounted in a suitable frame and held stationary therein while the water wheel operating in the casing and consisting of a spindle carrying a volute blade of a diameter corresponding substantially with the interior or bore of the casing is mountedin suitable bearings carried by the casing so that power may be generated by rotation of the water wheel caused by the water in the stream passing through the casing when the deviceis positioned .properly in the stream.

The invention has for a further obj ect the provision of a water motor of the character stated in which the stationary casing will be provided with suitable water directing funnels or flanges to retard the movement of the water longitudinally of the exterior of the casing, so that the force of movement of the water through the casing may be increased, the casing having suitable water exit slots in the rear portion thereof or down stream end of the casing beyond the blade of the Water wheel to provide for a more ready escape of the water, from the casing after serving to operate the water wheel.

The invention has for a still further object the provision of a water motor ofthe character stated in which one or more of the units consisting of the casing and thewater wheel may be mounted in a suitable supporting frame and a door provided for the for ward or upstream end of each casing to retard or practically eliminate the flow of water through the casing when it is desired to retard or completely stop operation of the water motor. I

With the. foregoing and other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the. novel construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating elements as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming apart of the present application and in which 5? Figure l is a side elevation of. the improved form of motor,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the motor units,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional I view of the bearing mounting for a forward or upstream end of the shaft of the unit,

Figure 4 is a similar view of the bearing mounting for the rear or, down stream end of the shaft of the unit, within the casing;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the plane of line 5 5 of Figure 2 of the drawings. I

Figure 6 is an end elevation of a modified. form of the -invention.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of units of the motor, showing the gearing between the same and the power receiving and transmitting shaft.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout. the several views, it will be understood that the various units are constructed in the same manner. Therefore, a detailed description of one unit will be sufiicient without a de tailed description of the construction of each unit of the motor. 1

Each unit of the motor consists essentially of a cylindrical casing or tube 10, having exterior deflectors 11 and 12 of substantially flectors 11 and 12 are in the forum of annular flanges and are located at suitable distances from the ends of the casing 10, as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The casing is also provided with an inlet water directing funnel 14- and a water Wheel operating in the casing and consisting of a spindle 15 carrying a volute blade of a diameter corresponding substantially with the interior or bore of the casing. The blade is designated by the numeral 16 and preferably terminates short of the upstream end or even with the end 0?: the casing, as indicated in Figure 2, while the cues of the spindle or shaft project from the ends ofthe casing 10, as will also be understood by referring to Figures .1 and 2 of the drawings. Suitable collars 16 are secured upon the spindle or shaft 15 at. the opposite end of the blade 16 to prevent longitudinal movement of the blades upon the spindle or shaft 15, after proper adjustment of the blade upon said spindle or shaft The forward or tip-stream end of the cas ing or tube 10 is provided with a cut-oil gate 17 preferably of rectangular form and adapted to slide in suit-able guide brackets 17 upon the sides of the casing or tube 10 at-the forward or up-stream end thereof, as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The cut-off gate 17 is provided with a suitable slot'17 extending through a portion thereof to accommodate the spindle or shaft 15. It will also be understood that the cut-off gate 17 may be readily raised by a cable 17 or t-helike connected with the upper edge thereof.

The casing ortube 10 is shown as being provided near its down stream end with 1011- gitudinal spaced slots 18 to form relief outlets and thereby reduce the internal. pressure, downwardly or rearwardly oft-he blade .16 and which internal pressure otherwise would tend to retard the rotary movement of the wheel. This structure may be readily understood by referring to Figure 2 of the drawings.

The spindle or shaft 15 is mounted in bearings 19 and 20 at the forward or upstream end and the rear or down-stream end respectively of the casingyor tube 10, so that the spindle or shaft 15 may freely rotate with the blade 16 forming the wheel of the water motor. The form of bearing 19 which is employed in the present instance is shown in section in Figure 3 and consists in a substantially frusto-conical bearing member 19 carried by the shaft or spindle 15 and having engaged on the conical seat 19 thereof the bearing bolls 19 which also engage the conical. seat 19 formed in the bearing sleeve 19 positioned around and spaced from the bearing member 19 It will be understood that the seats 19 are opposed to one another and the sleeve 19 surrounded by the collar 19 which in turn connected with the interior wall of the casing or tube 10 by suitable supporting arms lfl as will be seen by referring to Figure 2 of the drawings. The sleeve 1%) is prevented from moving longitudinally of the shaft or spindle 15, by the end bearing plates 19 which are secured in the opposite ends of the collar 19 and have central openings the walls of which are spaced from the spindle or shaft 15 so as not to interfere with thefree rotation of the shaft.

The bearing 20 for the rear or down stream endv of the watermotor is shown in section in Figure 4: of the drawings and comprises, in the present instance, a rotary bearing member 20 mounted rigidly on the shaft or spindle 15 and having an annular flange 20 adjacent one end with an annular bearing ball groove or runway 20 at one end of the member 20*, adjacent the flange 2O while a second annular groove or runway 20 is formed in the member 20 on the outer side of the flange 20 and aspaced distance therefrom, the member 2O being then extended in a. reduced form from the groove or runway 20. The flange 2O extends toward the inner wall of the stationary bearing sleeve 20 which is supported in the rear or clown-stream end of the casing or tube 10 by suitable supporting arms 20, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Bearing balls 2O are positioned in the groove or runway 20 forming one seat therefor and also contact with the opposite runway or seat 20 formed in the stationary bearing-plate 2O carried in the-sleeve 20 adjacent one end thereof and held in position by oneof the end plates 20 of the bearing structure20. The opposite end plate 20 is positioned inthe other end of the bearing sleeve 20 and retained in position, the stationary bearing cup 2O which surrounds the small end of the bearing member 20 and has an annular groove orrunway 2O cooperating with the runway 20 to form seats for the bearing balls 20. It will be understood that the bearing plate 20 and the bearing cup 2O are spaced from the bearing member 20". It will also be understood that the central. opening of the bearing plate 20 well as the central openings of the end bearing plates 2O are of suitable diameter to space the walls thereof from the shaft orspindle 15 and thereby eliminate danger of interference with the free rotation 'of sai'd shaft or spindle 15.

\Vhile the specific construction of the bear ings 19 and 20 have been shown and described, it will be understood that these structures may be varied, as desired.

It will also be understood that suitable bearings 21, which are not shown in detail. "may be provided on transverse connecting and bracing strips 22 of a. supporting frame 23 within which the casing or tube 10 teenspended. These transverse strips '22 may drawings.

serve to connectand brace the vertical end or corner members 24 of the frame 23 and the shaft or spindle 15 extends throughthe bearing 21. It will be understood that the frame 23 is preferably of rectangular form and the longitudinal or side strip 25 of the 10 may be suspended in the frame 24 by a plurality of suspending rings 27 connected with the upper portion of the frame 24, as shown at 28 or in any other suitable and well known manner.

The spindle or shaft 16 has its rear or downstream end supported in a suitable bearing 30 which is preferably bifurcated and carried on a supporting arm 29 projecting from the rear or down stream end of the frame 23, as shown in Figure 1 of the The shaft or spindle 15 carries a drive worm 31 between the arms of the bifurcated bearing 30 and the drive worm 31 is adapted to engage and drive the worm wheel 32 mounted on the upstanding shaft or power shaft 33. As shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, the units of the water motor are preferably arranged in pairs with the shaft or spindles 15 of two units in the same horizontal plane cooperating todrive a single upstanding shaft or power shaft 33. In this arrangement the drive worms 31 of the pair of shafts or spindles 15 are reversed so that both will serve to drive the worm wheel 32 in the same direction. The worm wheel 32 may be securely looked upon the shaft 33 in a suitable and well known manner and this shaft 33 may have its lower end mounted in a suitable bearing 34 formed in the connecting arm 35 extended between the bifurcated bearings 30 for the pair of shafts or spindles 15. This structure may be readily understood by referring to Figure 6 of the drawings which shows two pairs of units connected as described and serving to drive a single power shaft 33.

By referring to Figure 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that four or more of the units may be mounted in a single supporting frame 23 without any material alterations in the construction and operation of the water motor.

While the units have been shown as arranged in horizontal pairs, it will be understood that this may be varied and the units arranged and connected in any suitable manner to provide for the existing conditions under which the water motor is to be em ployed.

\Vhile the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described,

it will be understood thattminor changes inv the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withinthe scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. i

What I claim is; p v I 7 1. A water motor having a cylindrical casing, means for suspending saidcylindrical casing within a stream or water channel,

a wheel consisting of an axial spindle carrying a volute blade within said casing, said casing being provided with an exterior flow retarding means, and means carried by said spindle for driving a power shaft.

2. A water motor having a cylindrical casing, a wheel within said casing consisting of an axial spindle carrying a volute blade, means for holding said casing sta tionary, and means carried exteriorly of said casing to retard the flow of water past the same.

3. A water motor having a cylindrical casing, a wheel within said casing consisting of an axial spindle carrying a volute blade, means for holding said casing stationary, mean-s carried exteriorly of said casing to retard the flow of water past the same, said last mentioned means consisting of conical projections having theirfaces directed upstream to present obstructing shoulders, a power shaft, and means carried by said spindle for. driving said power shaft.

4. A water motor unit having a cylindrical casing, a water'wheel mounted therein and consisting of an axial spindle and a volute blade carried by said spindle, said casing being provided near its outlet or downstream end with lateral outlets to relieve the pressure upon the rear end portion of the blade, and a power shaft driving means 'carried by the rear end portion of said spindle.

5. A water motor unit having a cylindrical casing, a wheel mounted within said casing and consisting of an axial spindle and a volute blade, said casing being provided near its outlet or clown-stream end with lateral relief Water discharge openings, and means carried by said casing exteriorly thereof and in advance of said openings to retard the flow of water past said casing.

6. A water motor unit having a cylindrical casing, a water wheel within the casing and consisting, of an axial spindle and a volute blade carried by said spindle, said casing being provided near its outlet or down-stream end with lateral outlets to relieve the pressure upon the rear end portion of the blade.

7. A water motor unit having a cylindrical casing, a water wheel mounted therein and consisting ofan axial spindle and a volute blade carried by said spindle, said casing being provided near its outlet or down-stream end with lateral outlets to relieve the pressure upon the rear end por- -tion of the blade, and said lateral outlets comprising longitudinal slots cut in said casing adjacent the down-stream end thereof. V

8. A Water DIOtOI'llDlt having a cylindrical casing, a Wheel mounted Within said casing and consisting =0f an axial spindle and a volute blade, said casing being provided near its outlet or downstream end With elongated longitudlnal slots to provide release Water discharge openings, and

means carried by said casing exteriorly thereofand in advance of sand opening to retard the-flow ofwater past sald caslng.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 15 in presence of two Witnesses. 

